Speaker cables for soundlabs and strong current

High current suggests higher gauge - Phoenix Gold - M-1250 - Super Oxygen-Free Copper 12-Gauge Speaker Cable is great value and looks and feels better (flexible) compared to cheap Home Depot 12 gauge.

I too have the A1s and went through many speaker cable trials in 2005-2007. I use CAT JL-3 amps so the interface is much different than the Parasound amps.

The speaker cable link has consistently been less contributing to improvements vs. other cables in my system. Starting with budget cables here is indeed the way to go. But as the system takes on the potential of the A1s, a revisit to this cable link can be very significant mainly in low-level detail and the resulting dimensionality aspects.

I would not be as focused on high-gauge or "high-current" designs but rather pay attention to the non-linearities caused by some speaker cables. There is a very strong midrange dip in many cable designs. And in others the treble grain is most evident. The thing to do is have 2 pairs of speaker cables during the trials so you can better appreciate one's performance over the other right then. To rely on memory days or weeks later is not realistic. When comparing cables, pay attention to the dynamic contrasts as well. There always too much focus on only the tonality.

I can share with you some of the cables in the $300-500 range that I tried until I decided on the Purist Opis and then more recently, the Jade Audio design. Email me if you are interested.

John

Everyone, thank you for your reply. I believe cabling in general is so very subjective. When reading multiple reviews over different cable options I find that ten different people will suggest ten different avenues for cables. This is the reason for wanting to begin with an inexpensive but decent quality set. This will get the system up and running. At that point I can begin to do the in home trails and as John so wisely suggested, get two or three different sets next to each other and trial them side by side. I am sure that is the only way to truly get an honest comparison.

I email Roger West at Soundlab just to find out what the manufacture is using for in house testing. He suggested the Kimber Kable 8TC or the Tara Labs line for a high quality cable at reasonable pricing. He also suggested to keep the runs short which makes sense.

John,

I will give you shout when I get closer to needing the cables. I still have a couple months of work on my end to do. Thanks again.

Lance

Linn K-400. Very good sounding heavy guage wire. Has better bass and greater detail than the Kimber 8VS that I'm presently using. (If you need a short run of the K400 I have a pr.) Regards, Bill.

I own a pair of Milleniums and have had good luck with Magnan Signatures and also Tara RSC Masters.

.....sT

monster cables dude! yeah right.... just kidding.
I own a pair of A-3 and I have a very rare custom made in Japan cable that works super nicely. But I have tried Purist Audio cables with them, which I also own, and they work superbly. You can't go wrong with PADs.

I'd second the Kimber 8TC(and who would know better than the system's designer, what would work best). An excellent, easy to work with and fairly heavy gauge(8) cable. It should virtually disappear in a short run(the best quality a cable can possess). Very inexpensive used but the newer, clear/white 8TC is really attractive. It looks so good it MUST sound better, right? I'm using it on my bi-amped woofers, and they are probably going to be a permanent resident.